An Important Message About Access to Care in West Texas

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) and Texas Tech Physicians (TTP) have been actively engaged in conversations with University Medical Center to deliver solutions that benefit the patients in Lubbock County. State law is very clear that University Medical Center is only allowed to hire hospital-based physicians in three specialties: radiology, emergency medicine and hospitalists (special district local law sec. 1053.0601). 

In 2021, University Medical Center violated state law and the Master Coordinating Agreement by hiring two OB/GYNs. The TTUHSC School of Medicine (SOM) ultimately granted Clinical Faculty Appointments to Dr. Amy Richards and Dr. Amber Coon because they had left their prior employment. 

After the physicians’ recent resignations, University Medical Center sought to fill those positions and additional positions in violation of the law and the Master Coordinating Agreement. These efforts by University Medical Center directly undermine the recruitment efforts TTUHSC SOM already has underway. Those efforts have always been in cooperation and collaboration with University Medical Center. Despite these recent resignations, TTUHSC SOM has successfully recruited and retained new physicians to increase access to care. In addition, TTUHSC engaged in conversations with Dr. Richards and Dr. Coon to explore employment opportunities.

University Medical Center Hospital operates on land that TTUHSC deeded to them and University Medical Center has always been viewed as a teaching hospital on this land. The original legislation that allowed TTUHSC to deed land to University Medical Center was passed by the Texas Legislature in 1969. In that legislation and the corresponding deed, the land conveyed from TTUHSC to University Medical Center requires the nearly 20 acres to be used “for teaching and other related hospital facilities of the Medical School of Texas Technological College and said hospital district.” The legislation and the deed also mandate that if the deeded land is not used for teaching hospital purposes, the land shall revert to TTUHSC.

In its negotiations with University Medical Center over the Master Coordinating Agreement, TTUHSC wants to ensure that the intent of the original legislation and the terms of the deed are being fulfilled. It is imperative that state law be followed and our agreement be honored so the highest quality of care continues to be provided to our community. Regrettably, University Medical Center has abandoned those efforts.

Throughout it all, TTUHSC has remained focused on expanding access to care for the women of Lubbock and West Texas. In Lubbock, TTUHSC has 26 faculty focused on women’s health specialties, including 12 obstetricians. Of those 26 faculty, 18 have joined TTP in the past two years, and providers are accepting new patients.

Today, TTUHSC is training 14 OB/GYN residents and 45 family medicine residents in obstetric care. They represent the next generation of physicians who will care for women, deliver babies and support families. 

From 1969 to today and into the future, TTUHSC remains committed to the vision that established our esteemed university and will continue to expand access to healthcare through academic medicine.